Device for launching and landing aeroplanes from and upon suspended positions



June l1, 1929.- B, SPERRY 1,716,670

` DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND LANDING AEROPLANES' FROM AND UPON SUSPENDED PoslfrIoNs Filed June 2?'. 1922 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 vweutoz mf/vfjafmx 35% Hoz/neg i lu/#7M June 1l, 1929. B SPERRY 1,716,670

. DEVICE FOR LAUNQHING AND LANDING AEROPLANES FROM AND 'UPON SUSPENDED POSITIONS Filed June 27. 1922 3 ShSBtS-Sheet 3 1 a l/ /l nuff/vani 5am/vx' M/JW A,

Pnienid .limev 11,A 1929.`

u NiTED STATES LAWRENCE E. sPERnY, 'or EARMINGDALE. NEW Yoan, Assixiiron,v BY msn-E As- VPix-'raler4 oFi-i-c-E- SIGNMENTS, TO LAWRENCE SPERRY AIRCRAFT COMPANY, INC., OF EARRINGDALE, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F N EW'YORK. y

DEVICE FOR LAUNCBVIIING ANDLANDN G AEROPLANES FROM AND' UPON' SSPENDED POSITIONS. y r

appiiation. ined :une 27. 1922. serial Nb.- 571,25'2.

This invention relates to aeroplanes. More s )ecifically it. relates .tothe launching and l i e peiided positions.

Iii the naval service, mother-ships are employed for aeroplanes. Due to mines, submarines, hostile hoinb dropping aircraft and 1 other causes, iiiother-ships cannot always be safely employed. Also, in land warfare,

heretofore, there has been nothing to take the place of mother-ships. I propose to use services.

diiigibles, balloons, or other lightei'-tl ianair craft as mother-ships for aeroplanes in both Suitable means are provided for carrying the aeroplane on such craft, launchf ing it therefrom and its return'thereto.

I accomplish this result by suspending'a yielding member from the dirigible', or other craft, preferably a trapeze, provided suitable energy. dissipatingl or shock absorb. ing mechanism, and by equipping the 'aeroplane with suitable mechanism for engaging the member carried by said carrier.

"lhe use of my invention, however, is not necessarily confined to military 'or naval service, since the aeroplane could be used with commercial carriers in messenger, or other service. Nor, ismy invention limited to use with carriers, since it can be employed -Where suitable launching or landing fields are not available, as for instance, on board ship or on buildings, in which cases, the swinging mechanism is supported by suitable means.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in cen'- nection with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the. drawings illustrating what I now consider to be a preferred form of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevationvof a dirigible and aeroplane showing the embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 1 illus trating the supporting mechanism carried b y a dii'igible; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a modified form of my invention. l `ig. 5 is an enlargedv detail of the meehanism carried by the aeroplane for engaging the supporting mechanism, Fig.y 6 is a sectional side elevation of the with Vshock absorbing mechanism controlling the trapeze; landing of such machines from and upon SuS- Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6. 4

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6. i

Referring lto the drawings, the numeral 1I indicates a Yconventional type of dirigible,

carrying a gondola or cabin 2, in -which is located a supporting frame 3, fora suspension means or trapeze 4, from which an aeroplane is shown suspended.. The trapeze may consist of a horizontal bar 6, supported by two rods 7 and 8, pivotally secured to the frame 3 at 9 and 10, respectively, as shown in Fig; 3, and is arranged to swing in a. lane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the irigible, that is, in the direction of its travel, in a manner readily understood. The rods 7 and 8 are respectively provided with hinged shoulders 11, 12, located substantially at .their middle portions, in order -that said rods may be dicated the dash and dot lines 13 in Fig. 2 in whic 1 position it will not offer any wind resistance.

The aeroplane 5 is provided with two -curved members'14,15, supported in a vertical plane in the axis ofthe aeroplane with. their ends diverging and pointing inthe direction `of travel, as shown in Fig. 2, which -serve as guides for landing on the trapeze.

propeller 19, so as to guard the propeller when the aeroplane is landed, or hooked on tl- Lrapeze. The upper member '15. is-rordoubled up and the trapeze stored within the gondola,)when not in use, in the manner inf tatablyl mounted on an axle 20 supported by rods17, 17', and is normally urged toward the p member y14 by any. suitable resilient means, 'such as a heavy rubber band 21. This band may be held in operative positionby A means of bolts and washers at22, 23, as shown.

inFig. 5. On its 'outer edge, near its pivoted end, the member 15 is provided with a stop 24 to'limit the upward movement of arm 15,l

by striking a projection 25 formed on inemwhich, it will be 'observed is in substantial- Themenibejr'". is loclied in a closed position, as indicated in Fi i., `5, by a latch 2.6, arranged to movefincasuit'a lc-'sl'ot formed in member 25, and normally urged 'into engagement with the member by aspring 27. Said.'mem'fbernlv hasa-slot 28 suitably lof cated beengaged by latch 26, 'when'fin a closed position. A cable y29 is suitably at,

tachedto said latch,and at. its opposite end is secured to a foot'lever 30, located in the cocle' the purpose of hooking'thereon, the 'mechanism carried byit just described, isgin the locked position, with its several parts inthe relation shown in Fig. 5. vThe aviator will pilot his machine to strike the horizontal bar 6, with either of the guides 14` 15 at some' point between their extreme ends.- The continued Hight of the machine isdireeted by the curvature of said guides, which causes the bar 6to strike against the rubber band 21, and to compress and ride over trigger'l, which is' theu returned to its normal position by spring The Vbar 6 indicated by dotted lines is held bctween'thelocked members 14,', 15', as

' shown in Fig; 5 in a manner readily under- 'When it is desired to land the aeroplane'on `a dlrlglble, slnce both bodies are 1n motlon,

obviously. the dirigible is preferably ap- ]'Jroaehed from the rear. The aeroplane follows in the -path ofthe dirigible at 'a semewhat greater speed, generally' considered to `be about 30 feet per second more than the ,speed of thedirigible at theftime the aeroto retard the aeroplane, but in order further to assist this.- retarding process, and more rapidlyldecelerate the aeroplane, a shock ab sorbing systemV has been provided. Any suitable agentmay be employed for this purpose,

lsuch as steel springs, and the` like, butI pref! erablyuse a rubber cord system. Asuitable number ,of rubber cords of proper diameter are secured tothe frame 3, preferably at a point 1n a vertical plane, through the lonlgitudinalI mais. of the dirigible locatedbclow the axis of the trapeze, as indicated zit-36. lTwo suitable guide pulleys in axial-alignment are locatedon the rennend ofthe frame 3, when its forward end is regarded as that .facing thedirection of travel. Butone of .thcse'pulleys, indicated at 37. isvisible in Fig.

.ly theilsame horizontal plane as point cable 38, is suitably secured at one' end to a. point near the lower end of rod 7, asses over one of the pulleys 37, and exten s forward to the rubber cords `35, to which itgmay be secured orr through whose4 loops it may pass.

From these rubber cords, the'cable 38 con-- tinues rearwardly to the other pulley 3, over which 4it passes, and continues downwardly to a pointlocated near thelower end of rod 8, to which itis suitably secured. A suitable block 37 forguiding the cable 38 to the pulleys 37, is preferably located between the said pulleys and the trapeze asshown in Figs. 2 and 3.- The trapezc pcndulously hangs downwardly from hinge 34 as shown in Fig. 2, its substantially vertical position being normallymaintained by the frictional resistance of the cable system. From the foregoing, it will beV Seen that when the rod G of the trapeze is engaged by the aeroplane hooking mechanism, the trapezc swings forward about its axis 34, to a position indicated in dash and dot lines at 7', (see also Fig. 1) during which movement the cable 38 has traveled to aposition indicated by similar lines at 38', which movement has been opposed by the rubber cord 35, thereby decelerating the aeroplane in amanner readily understood. In accordance with well known laws governing pendul'ous bodies, the aeroplane will retrace its movement in the opposite direction, from its limitof forward swing, which return'movement is accelerated by the contraction of thecords 35. It has therefore been necessary 'to provide .l a4 de-A -celerating system for suchrecoil. I preferably use an oil controlled device for this purpose, although any other suitable recoil system could be employed. This recoil device is suitably supported on the forward end of frame 3, beyond the forward swinging limit of .the trapeze as indicated at 39 in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 6, the recoil device consists of an elongated walled casing 40 open at one end. This casing is mounted with its o pcn end facing -the'forwardend of frame 3. A cylinder 41, closed at one en d isiitted at its Vopposite end into the open end: of said casing and secured thereto by means of a collar 42. formed. -on'the outside of the cylinder, andA screw bolts 42 A piston 43 is within the casing 40 arranged to reciprocate within the cylinder`41. Thepist/on carries a rack 44 which is engaged by a pinion 45 on a shaft 46 which carries drums 47, 48, 49 and 49. i The piston head 50 is formed with a number of passageways '51,V best illustrated in Fig. 8 leading from the .casing 40 intothecylinder 41,'which are controlled by ya. valveV 52, -The valve 52 is .held in its seat by a spring 53 in thefusual manner. A passageway 54 extends v.through the valve 52 connecting the inner part of casing 40 with ,the cylinder 41, both of which A.

. Acables 5.7', 59, rotate the druinsin a clockwise tion by bolts 5 6, so-as to form a singleoil filled chamber of cylinder 41 and casing 40. A` cable 57, secured at one end near the lower end of rod 7 extends forward to a suitable guide block .58, aiid thence to druin 47. A similar cable 59 secured at one end near the lower end of rod 8, extends forward to block 58 and thence to drum 48.' Obviously, the rotation of drums 47 and 48, will cause the piston 43 to move, Vthrough the rotation of pinion 45 on rack 44. In its backward swing from the position 7', the trapeze will, througl'i direction as viewed .in Fig. 46, that is, cause the pinion 45, through the rack 44, to move the piston into the cylinder 41, which movement is regulated by the flow of oil through the central passage 54 of valve 52. To again restore the piston to operativeposition, a second set of drums 49, 49' has been provided, which is arranged to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 6, and thereby aetuate the pinion and 'rack in a direction opposite to that just described. rllie counter-clockwise rotation of drums 49, 49' may be caused in different ways, but I preferably use rubber cords 59' and 59, secured at one end to theframe 3 at 60, see fFig. 3, and at their opposite ends to the drums 49, 49', respectively. When drums 49, 49'are rotated in a. clockwise'direction, the'cords 59', 59." are wound thereon, that is, during the period of the return movement of the trapeze.

As the'trapeze swings forward, therubber cords 59', 59 are free to rotate the drums 47, 48 and return the piston to ts original position in the manner describe In order to accelerate this return movenlent, the passages 51 and valve 52 have been provided. As will be readily understood, the flow oi oil through the numerous passages 51 will 1inseat the valve 52, and thereby permit the comparatively free passage of oil from the casing chamber to the cylinder.

tion, the'operation of my invention may brieiy described. Assuming that the aeroplane is in Hight, and it is desired to make a landing on the trapeze of the dirigible, the aeroplanewill approach the dirigible from the rear, 'with the upper g'uide rod mechanism in locked position as-shown in Fig. On striking tar 6- of the trapeze with either of the guides 14 or 15, the aeroplane is guided In-view ofthe foregoing detailed descrip# so as to cause the bar 6 to ride over the tri gger 31, where it is held by the trigger. 'lhe continued forward .movement of the aero'- plane is decelerated by the iubher cords 35.

' During this forward movement, the piston 43 is set in an operative position through the counter-clockwise.rotation of drums 47, 48, 49, 49', by cords 59. 59". On reaching the limit of its forward movement, the return movement of the aeroplane is deceleratedthrough the action of piston- 43, the movement of which limited-by the flow of oil through A .the central passage 54.

On reaching a stable position, the aeroplane will be supported with its tail end downward, as shown in Fig. 2, in whichV position the planes of the aeroplane will offer a greater air resistance when the cari-ier is in flight. "lhe supports 16, 16 and 17, 17 havebecn par ticularly designed to support the aeroplane withits center of gravity 4in back of the point of suspension. As the carrier travels, the air resistance against the planes causes the rear port-ion or tail of the aeroplane to rise until the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane is horizontal, and as the speed of the carrier in creases, the forward end of the aeroplane may. tiltsliglitly downwards, thereby greatly assisting the launching of the aeroplane. 'lhe special advantage, however, of this arrange'- inent is the decrease in weight of the acroplane upon the carrier, thereby enabling the carrier to reach higher altitudes to avoid hostile craft and the like.

After the aeroplane has landed, in order to avoid the rotation of the aeroplane about a vertical axis, itis suitably secured by small cables extending from its respective wings to thebar 6 as indicated at 61 and 62 in Fig. 3. If it should now be desired to launch the aeroplane from its suspended position, the cables 61 and 62 are released, andthe aeroplane motor is started, a suitable mechanism for the aviator to start the motor from the cockpit being employed, such as that shown in the ycopending application of Charles l. Kirkliam, Serial No. 579,359, filed Aug. 3, 1922, which application is assigned to the applicant herein. Thereupon, the aeroplane is released by depressing the foot pedal 30,

which withdraws the latch 26 from the slot 28, thuspermitting the `guide 15 to move upwardly to the position 15" indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. It is obvious that the weight of the machine throws the arm 15 upward when released. When so released the aeroplane may coast until its motor has developed the necessary power. The guide 15 is returned to its normal position through the action of rubber band 21, and the slot 28 is engaged by the latch 26, thereby reseti ting the guides for landing.

made.- However, wlieng' the aeroplane is A launched from a device of this character, itisnecessary for the aeroplane to develop the necessary s eed before it is released from the trapeze. he motor isstarted ,and the action ofthe ropeller will revolve the aeroplane about t e vertical axis 65. When the be lunderstood thatI do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest' themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of'my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is;

V1. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, the combination with a support, of means pendulously support'edtliereon, resilient means for .absorbing shocks received by said means, an lenergy dissipating means for absorbin the recoil from shocks received by said pen ulous'means.

2. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, means pivotally suspended, resilient means for decelerating the movement of said means in one direction, and energy dissipating means for retarding the movementof said pivotally suspended means in the opposite direction. I

3. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, yielding means arranged to be engaged by an aeroplane, means for retardin'g the forward movement of said yielding means when so engaged, and means for retardingvthe return movement of said yielding means from its forward position.

4. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, the combination with a support, of means pivotally supported thereon arranged -to be engaged by an aeroplane, means for absorbing the shock when so engaged-and means for absorbing Athe recoil of said shock.

V5. In a device for-.launching and landing aero nes, a trapeze, resilient means for retardir'ig themovementof said trapeze in one direction andenergy dissipating means for retarding the movement of said trapeze in its opposite direction.

6. A device for launching and landing aeroplanes comprising in combination, a catch b ar pendulously supported from a movable support, a hook carried by an aeroplane for engaging said pendulously supported means, and means for damping the oscillations 'of said pendulous means when engaged by an aeroplane.

7. -A device for launching and landing aeroplanes, comprising 1n combination,

means for supporting an aeroplane, means carried by an aeroplaneior engaging said supporting means during iiightto suspend said aeroplane, and means controllable from `carried by an aeroplane for engaging said supporting means during' fiight .to suspend said aeroplane, means whereby the aeroplane may be launched from said suspended position, and means controllable from the aeroplane for releasing the same from its said suspended position during launching thereof.

9. A device. for launching and landing aeroplanes comprising in combination; means for supporting an aeroplane, means carrie by the aeroplane for engaging saidA supporting means during flight to suspend said aeroplane, said last-named means being `positioned ahead of its center of gravity, means whereby the aeroplanemay be launched from said suspended position, and means for releasing the aeroplane from its said suspended position during launching thereof.

10. A device for launchingandlanding aeroplanes-comprising in combination a sup-- port, mean's pivotally suspended thereon,

4means carried by an aeroplane for engaging said means, means` for absorbing the shock received by said -pivotally suspended means when engaged by an aeroplane and means for absorbing the recoil of said suspended means when so engaged. v

11. In a device for launching and land-l ing aeroplanes, a support, suspended supporting means thereon, and, means *carrie on an aeroplane for engaging said suspended means comprising a set of guides arranged to form a forwardly facing hookand means for locking the said hook on said suspended means when engaged by it.

12. The combination with a rela-tively large aircraft having a pendulous forwardlyfacing hook for supporting an aeroplane, means carried by an aeroplane for engaging said pendulous means and means for damping the oscillations of said pendulous means when engaged by an aeroplane.

.13. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, a support, suspended supporting means thereon and means earried'on an aeroplane for engaging said` suspended means comprising a hook having a lower fixed guide member and an upper` guide member pivotally secured, means for locking the upper guide member iny position'and means for locking the hook on said suspended means.

14. In a device for launching and landing aeroplanes, a. support, suspended supporting means thereon, and means carried on an aeroplane for engaging said means comprising a hook formed with a lower fixed guide member and au upper guide member pivotally secured. means locking the upper guide memsaid guide members, and means for releasing the upper guide member whereby "fthe aeroplane is released from its suspended position.

15. In combination, a carrier having a yielding support upon which an aircraft may elfect a landing, resilient means acting upon said support in one direction and energy dissipating means acting on said support the opposite direction.

16. In combination, a carrier having a yielding support, an aeroplane having means for engaging said su Jort said means bein(Y D D b D arranged lto normally suspend the aeroplane,` with its front end tilted upwardly, and means "for releasing the aeroplane from its sus pended position.

17. In combination, a carrier havingmeans for supporting an aeroplane in a suspended position, means whereby' said supporting means may be Withdrawn from their operative'position and stored within the carr-ier, resilient means acting upon said supporting means in one direction and energy dissipat' ing means actin-g uponsaid supporting means in the opposite direction.

18. The combination with a relatively'large aircraft having (means for. supporting an aeroplane, means carried by an aeroplane for engaging said 4siipport'ing meansduring flight to suspend said aeroplane, and means controllable .from the aeroplane for launching the aeroplane .from its said suspended. position.

19. In combination, a carrier having a pendulous means forsupportingaeroplanes, re-

silient'means for absorbing shocks received by said means, energy dissipating means for absorbing the recoil from such shocks, and

means carried by an aeroplane for engaging said pendulous means.

20. In combination, a carrier having a yielding means for supporting an aeroplane, a resilient means for absorbing shocks re- 4ceived by said means when engaged by van aeroplane, means for absorbing the recoil from such shocks, means carried by an aeroplane for engaging said yielding means,

' means for startin the aeroplane motor when supported by sai yielding means and means A for releasi g'the aeroplane from said yieldingmeans.

21. The method of landing and launching aeroplanes from dirigibles which consists in su porting a yielding element on the diri. le, engaging said4 element by a hookingl g1 mechanism on said aeroplane by flying the hook into said element, locking said aeroplane in suspended position, and releasing said lookin means when the aeroplane is to be launche 22. In a device for launching and landing aeroplancs,'meansfor supporting the aeroplane in a suspended position, and 'shock absorbin meansA foi 'said supporting means `comprising a pinion responsive to the movenient of said supporting means, a iston formed with a rack in engagement wit i said pinion, a cylinder, a housing for said pinion Aand rack containing oil and: a valve on said piston for controlling the passage of oil between the cylinder and housing.

23. In a device for launching and landing aeroplancs, pendulousmeans for supporting an aeroplane in a suspended position, and means for decelerating said pendulous means comprising-an enclosed unit containing oil,

a piston therein formed with a rack, a pinion in said unit in eng-agement with said rack, a drum actuated by saidhpendulous means arranged to rotate said pinion, and a valve'on said piston.

24. In a device for aeroplane in a suspended position and retarding means for said means comprising a drum rotatable in response to the movement of said launching and land-- ing aeroplancs, meansfor supporting an first means, an enclosed unit containing oil,

a piston therein responsive to the rotation of said drum, a valve on'said piston for retarding the piston, and means for restoring the drum to its ori inal position.

25. The com ination with a dirigible of a trapeze suspended therefrom, and an aeroplane having means adapted to effect a hooking engagement with said supporting means during flight as the aeroplane iiies under and 28.. In combination with a'relatively largel aircraft, having a cabin related thereto, of a trapeze construction adapted to be suspended belowsaid cabin, including depending meinbers'and bar connection between the lower ends thereof and means for elevating said trapeze construction to a stream line position relative to said cabin.

29. In combination with a relatively large aircraft, having a cabin related thereto, of a trapeze construction adapted to be suspendedV below said cabin, including depending members and bar .connection between the lower ends thereof and means for elevating said trapeze bar structure within the enclosure of the cabin.

In' testimony ,whereof I have' affixed my signature.

- LAWRENCE BQ sPEnRY.

iis 

